 The Secret to Superhuman Strength, by Alison Bechdel.
This is a graphic memoir by cartoonist Alison Bechdel, best known for Fun Home and Dykes to Watch Out For. It's ostensibly about her lifelong fixation with sports and fitness, but it hits a lot of other topics along the way: Buddhism, substance abuse, mind vs. body vs. the universe, and mortality. There are a lot of deaths along the way, including family members and beloved pets, and a friend who was killed at age 37 doing an extreme sport. Bechdel goes through periods of devotion to running, biking, skiing, and assorted fitness fads. Her martial arts training helped her mentally and physically, but was no use during an actual assault, as she'd been trained not to hurt her opponent. Over and over, she re-learns the lesson that vigorous exercise helps with her anxiety and keeps her from misusing alcohol and sleeping pills. But at times the exercise becomes addictive in an unhealthy way. She concludes that it's an attempt at staving off mortality. She tries to take a Buddhist view of embracing nothingness. Now in her sixties, she finds that it's still a work in progress. Trigger warnings for suicide, cancer, substance abuse, assault, and pet death. Popsugar Reading Challenge: Mentions pilates. 52 Book Club Challenge: Handwritten interior font. Booklist Queen: Alliterative title.
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